3 players Yankees need to trade for that could wind up stolen by AL East rivals

Cody Bellinger could be snagged by the Boston Red Sox

Cody Bellinger is the most obvious move the Yankees have to do everything in their power to try to make happen.

The former MVP whose reputation tumbled to the basement has completely reinvented himself with the Chicago Cubs this year. He’s hitting well and playing good defense, and his one-year deal signed this winter makes him a perfect trade candidate. The Cubs can sell high on a smart investment before they see him possibly walk for nothing.

The Yankees, obviously, need another bat, and they need a left fielder as well. Bellinger’s natural spot is center, but slide him or Harrison Bader over to left, and you should be good to go.

So, which rival could spoil this one? The hated Red Sox might find themselves pulling a move for Bellinger. Fitting for him to move from calling the second-oldest ballpark in MLB home to the very oldest, yeah?

The fit for the Boston Red Sox is a little bit better for Bellinger on the defensive side, as was discussed in our rumor roundup on Thursday. That could certainly mean the Sox are more motivated to get Bellinger than the Yankees. Both teams are holding down the basement of the division, so it’s also not that far-fetched that we could see August 1 come and go with Bellinger on neither team.